Benjamin Franklin was an author, politician, scientist, inventor, civil activist, and diplomat. He played a vital role in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories about electricity. In the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, he lists 13 attributes that directly links to perfection. Even though he doesn’t perfect all 13 qualities, he says how he was “content…with a faulty character.” He also states that “a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance” (Franklin, 9). Men have the portrayal that being flawless is easy but in reality it is impossible. It is better said than done. Improving oneself and striving to better oneself is a courageous act but being perfect doesn’t directly guide one to happiness and fulfillment. One can have many flaws, accept it and find happiness within it. This is evident when Franklin states “…a perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated” (Franklin, 9).

Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography greatly supports Tom Sawyer from Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventure of Tom Sawyer, that one can be happy and satisfied when he/she aren’t perfect. This showcases that perfection doesn’t correlate with ones’ happiness. Even though Sawyer doesn’t meet the 13 attributes that Franklin describes (Tom never strives for perfection), he still maintains a happy and blissful life. Perfection doesn’t embody happiness.

In The Adventure of Tom Sawyer, Tom refuses to bathe for Sunday school which challenged the “Cleanliness” attributes of Franklin’s in which he says “…tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitations.” He tries to fool his cousin, Mary that he washed up. But he got caught and did it again. “…the clean territory stopped short at his chin….below and beyond this line there was a dark expanse of irrigated soil that spread downwards…” (Twain, 4). This portrayal of his uncleanliness nature shows the character of Tom.

Sawyer lacks moral consideration because he is egotistic. This is emphasized when Tom, Huck, and Joe Harper go to an island and become imaginary pirates. While the boys were “frolicking around and enjoying their freedom” (Franklin, 236), the boys realized that the community were concerned about them. Sawyer is selfish merely because while he plans to go to the island he doesn’t even wonder about how worried the community would be about his disappearance. “…the village seemed empty and dead. Many visited Aunt Polly and Mrs. Thatcher and tried to comfort them. They cried with them, too, and that was still better than words” (Sawyer, 235). When he came back the community was filled with joy.